Montpelier Senior Activity Center Advisory Council

Montpelier Senior Activity Center (MSAC) building

MSAC Governance Policies & Procedures

Advisory Council Election Season Begins

Are you an MSAC member who would like to help determine how the Center operates? This is your chance! The MSAC Advisory Council (AC) meets every other month with the MSAC Director to learn about new resources and opportunities and offer advice on how to address challenges that arise. Despite the pandemic, the AC has continued to meet, though mostly online. The beat goes on. Please consider joining this congenial, productive group. You can learn about AC expectations from the Governance Policies and Procedures or by asking MSAC to send it to you. If you would like to talk to an AC member about how the Council works, please contact the office at 802-223-2518. 

Click here to download AC Ballot with candidate statements.


Read 2023 candidate statements here:


Christopher Ackerman 

I have been a Montessori educator for fifty years and a homeowner in Montpelier since 1978. I have traveled and lived in numerous places internationally, but feel that Montpelier is my real home. If I can be of service to others, I will try my best. Lately, I have been delivering meals once a week from the senior center Meals on Wheels program. I look forward to being a member of the Advisory Council.

Heather Bailey

I am a retired educator and have been a resident in Montpelier for the past 9 years. Included in my volunteer work are: Montpelier Food Pantry, ESL teacher for CVABE, Green Mountain Club trip leader, and membership coordinator for the Montpelier section of the club. In addition, I serve on the City of Montpelier Recreation Advisory Board. I served in the Peace Corps in Panama 2012-2014, where I assisted Panamanian English teachers in a classroom setting and presented workshops on teaching English to non-native speakers. 

Mary Carlson

I served on the MSAC Advisory Council in the past and would be honored to win a new two-year term. A Vermont native, I have lived in the Montpelier area since 1969. I enjoy puzzles, laughter, physical activity, movies, reading, singing, and volunteering but hate housekeeping and cell phones. My son, Josh, lives in South Burlington. I retired in 2015 after 28 years as Food & Nutrition Program Coordinator for the State Department for Children and Families. That role followed 14 years as the executive assistant for the agency now called Capstone Community Action. Both positions involved responsibility for public funds, program design/management, and participation in advisory groups. I was a founding board member of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, now called Hunger Free Vermont, and a founding board member and past president of the National Association of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs. I hold BA and MPA degrees from UVM and have published research papers and reports on poverty-related topics. 

Gail Carrigan

My parents were part of the early generation of downhill skiers and would talk fondly of Vermont when I was growing up. So, I wasn’t surprised that I fell head over heels in love with Vermont on my first visit here in 1996. My husband Joe and I made a huge life change and moved cross country to finally be able to relocate to Vermont in 2014. We have been astounded by the warmth and kindness in this wonderful community. On recommendation from an early acquaintance, I joined MSAC and began to participate in yoga, swimming, and art classes –all taught by talented instructors. My background is in communications and graphic design. I am a practicing artist, as well as administrator of Friends of the Vermont State House, chair of a weeklong arts retreat on Star Island, and a board member and webmaster of the Art Resource Association in Montpelier. I worked for the Vermont State Legislature for five years. I bring to the Advisory Council strategic planning skills, operational expertise, and a creative mindset. 

Dianne Maccario

In my four (going on 5) years on the Advisory Council and the Program Committee, I have learned a lot about MSAC and what it takes to run a center that offers programs, provides meals, and serves as a place to gather and learn. I’ve also seen how the organization and staff can adapt to the many challenges presented by the pandemic. I appreciate the center a great deal more now than when I first started taking classes and see even more clearly how much it means to our community. It’s a place we can be truly proud of, and I hope to continue for another one-year term on the Advisory Council, doing what I can to participate in projects, communicate with members, and support and advise the staff. This year, I signed up for the Membership and Fundraising committees because there is a lot to be done. Please consider joining a committee. 

Laura Morse

I grew up in Calais as a 7th and 8th-generation Vermonter. After living in Berlin for over 25 years, I moved out of the house, which took a direct hit from Irene, to a house high on a hill in East Montpelier. My first experience at MSAC was with the Ukulele group. I had so much fun that I became a member so I could take advantage of the diverse classes offered at the center. I currently lead the Monday/Friday combination Bone Builders/ Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program class that meets from 3:15 to 4:30. I have served on the Advisory Council for five years supporting MSAC’s mission to provide opportunities for the aging Central Vermont population to keep active, both physically and mentally. As one of the Council members from a supporting town, I advocate for the supporting towns’ interests. 

Rick Winston

I have been living in Adamant since 1970 and am the former co-owner/manager of the Savoy Theater (1980-2009) and the former programming director of the Green Mountain Film Festival (1999-2012). I have spoken about my recent book, Red Scare in the Green Mountains: Vermont in the McCarthy Era 1945-1960, at MSAC, and my new book, Save me a Seat! A Life with Movies, will be out in August. I have gotten to know MSAC through teaching Film Appreciation classes since 2012. I have had a growing appreciation for all that the organization has done for its members and how much it contributes to the vibrancy of our community. I’ve attended many events sponsored by MSAC and have my eye on several classes that I’d like to take. I have spoken on MSAC’s behalf at Calais Town Meeting, and I hope to continue on the Advisory Council for another two-year term. 

Next Meeting Date, Time, Location, Agenda & Minutes: 

The next meeting is on-site at MSAC (58 Barre Street) on TBD (updates coming soon).

  1. Members of Advisory Council
  2. Next Meeting Date & Agenda
  3. Recent Meeting Agendas & Minutes
  4. Committees

FY23 Members

  • Kris Clark
  • Barbara Dall
  • Mariah Lane
  • Dianne Maccario, Chair
  • Laura Morse
  • Suzanne Swanson, Vice Chair
  • Rick Winston

Members are elected to two-year terms and elections occur each spring, with nominations due in late Winter. Refer to Governance Policies & Procedures for more information. 

Thank you to outgoing FY22 members: Jean Olson and Mary Carlson.


Check out our FY24 Budget Video below!

About the OAA Letter

Download and read the letter

From Meals On Wheels America:

MOWA logo


$100 Million Increase Secured for OAA Nutrition in FY 2023


This Year’s Appropriations Process Comes to a Close Congress passed H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, finalizing funding for all federal programs and services for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, which runs through September 30 of next year. This $1.7 trillion spending bill is a compromise deal between the House and Senate that passed by 225-201 in the House and 68-29 in the Senate. The President is expected to sign it into law soon, officially bringing the federal appropriations process for FY 2023 to a close. 


From here, federal agencies, such as the Administration for Community Living (ACL), will begin the process of calculating program allocations and disbursing the funds to states. The final bill contains a $100 million increase for the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Program – the largest annual appropriations increase in the program’s history. This is more than a 10 percent increase and will bring funding for the OAA Nutrition Program – including Congregate, Home Delivered and the Nutrition Services Incentive Program – to total of $1,066,753,000 in FY 2023. 


We view this increase as an important step forward in securing the federal resources needed to support our vital network and the older adults it serves. Read our joint press statement with the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP) about the historic federal funding for senior nutrition services here. MANY THANKS TO YOU As we wrap up the year, we thank you for all of your powerful advocacy, input, stories and support. Together, we made a difference and look forward to what we can achieve as the new 118th Congress gets underway in January. 


It is our honor to work with you, and on behalf of all of us at Meals on Wheels America, we wish you a safe and joyous holiday season! Katie Jantzi, Vice President of Government Affairs katie.jantzi@mealsonwheelsamerica.org Katherine Nick, Senior Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy katherine.nick@mealsonwheelsamerica.org Nick Koehler, Advocacy and Legislative Affairs Associate nick.koehler@mealsonwheelsamerica.org.